News Kazakhstan's Democratic Forces Forum

International Eurasian Democratic Foundation
invited kazakh opposition in London

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PRESS RELEASE
London, Monday 28^th February 2000

A delegation of leading political figures from Kazakhstan have today begun a four-day visit to London to meet politicians, journalists and pressure groups.

The delegation is led by former Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Akezhan Kazhegeldin, and also consists of film-maker Rachid Nougmanov of the National Republican Party and the International Eurasian Democracy Foundation, Seidakhmet Kuttykadam of the Orleu movement, Mels Eleusizov of the Green Party, Vladimir Chernyshev of Pokolenie and Lad, and Bigeldy Gabdullin, the editor of XXI Vek.

This morning they met with a leading defence and diplomatic journalist who works for the leading 24-hour news channel Sky News and gave him a briefing on the political situation in Kazakhstan at present.

Following that they met with the International Officer of the Labour Party, who are the governing party in Britain. The Labour Party were very interested in the policies and aims of the democratic opposition in Kazakhstan, and have asked for a written briefing so that they can further develop their relationship and partnership with the members of the delegation they met, as well as the movements they represent.

The final meeting for the delegation on Monday was with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), who were very keen to put a report of the meeting on their website so that it could be accessed in the United Kingdom and around the world.

The group will be meeting other politicians, political parties, pressure groups and journalists during the week.

PRESS RELEASE
London, Tuesday 29^th February 2000

The delegation of leading political figures from Kazakhstan have today continued their four-day visit to London where they are meeting politicians, journalists and pressure groups.

This morning they met with the Central Asia correspondent of the leading European political and business newspaper based in London The Financial Times (FT), and they gave him a briefing on the political situation in Kazakhstan at present. The FT is very keen to run articles on the current political situation in Kazakhstan.

Following that they met with the International Officer of the Conservative Party, who are the main opposition party in Britain. The Conservative Party were very interested in the policies and aims of the democratic opposition in Kazakhstan, and have asked for a written briefing so that they can further develop their relationship and partnership with the members of the delegation they met, as well as the movements they represent. They also suggested ways that the Kazakh opposition movement can strengthen itself in its relationships with political parties and organisations in the UK and western Europe.

The final meeting for the delegation on Monday was with Mark Oaten MP, Foreign Affairs Spokesman with the Liberal Democrats, the third major party in Britain. The Liberal Democrats have a long-standing interest in Kazakhstan, and Mr Oaten has also suggested ways that the Kazakh opposition movement can strengthen itself in its relationships with political parties and organisations in the UK and western Europe.

Both the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrat Party have stressed their determination to work in partnership with the democratic goals and principles of the Kazakh delegation.

The group will be meeting other politicians, political parties, pressure groups and journalists during the week.

PRESS RELEASE
London, Wednesday 1^st March 2000

The delegation of leading political figures from Kazakhstan have today continued their four-day visit to London where they are meeting politicians, journalists and pressure groups.

This morning they met with representatives of Amnesty International, a human rights group which operates all over the world. The delegation discussed the political and human rights climate in Kazakhstan and Central Asia at the moment. Amnesty International have asked the delegation to report back to them in order to give them more information.

Following that they spent the afternoon with Jim Cousins MP. Mr Cousins is a senior and well-respected Labour Party Member of Parliament. He is also the Chair of the

All Party Group on Central Asia. This is a group of Members of Parliament from each of the three main political parties in the UK (Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat) who have an interest in and knowledge of Kazakhstan and the region. Mr Cousins is going to follow up his discussions with the delegation by writing to Keith Vaz MP, who is a senior Government Minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Mr Cousins rounded off the meeting by giving the delegation a tour of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

The group will be meeting other politicians, political parties, pressure groups and journalists during the week.

PRESS RELEASE
London, Thursday 2^nd March 2000

The delegation of leading political figures from Kazakhstan have today continued their four-day visit to London where they are meeting politicians, journalists and pressure groups.

This morning the delegates met with key officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (this is the British equivalent of a foreign ministry). The officials have already met with some of the delegates in the past, and there is a very good and co-operative ongoing relationship between the International Eurasian Democratic Foundation and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This morning’s meeting helped to further strengthen that relationship.

This afternoon they met with representatives of Article 19, a leading human rights group based in the UK. The delegation discussed the political and human rights climate in Kazakhstan and Central Asia at the moment. Article 19 have asked the delegation to report back to them in order to give them more information.

The group’s series of meetings in London has now drawn to a close. Over the previous four days they have discussed the political and human rights situation in Kazakhstan, as well as the aims of the broad opposition movement, with:

Leading Members of Parliament from all three main political parties (Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat);

Key officials from the international sections of the three main political parties;

Key civil servants from the British Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office;

Key media outlets such as the Financial Times newspaper, as well as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Sky News; and

Leading human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Article 19.

The result of this series of meetings has been to establish new relationships between the Kazakh opposition and the British political system and the media. These are important relationships. They have long-term potential and will be developed over the coming weeks, months and years.

Ends